


Where did you go?

by Altiria



Series: Whumptober 2020 [8]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie) Spoilers, F/M, Not Really Character Death, Whumptober 2020
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-08
Updated: 2020-10-08
Packaged: 2021-03-08 03:22:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,087
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26888809
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Altiria/pseuds/Altiria
Summary: Bond shock. When one half of a soulmate pair suddenly dies, the other half is left… broken, unable to function. In the snap of a finger a huge portion of the universe is pushed into sudden bond shock, Holly is one of these numbers. Even knowing the path to victory lays forward, lays with Stephen’s death, the bond-shock is too much for her. She’s blank, utterly. In the end, there’s a reason Tony Stark was key to that victory as he all but carries Holly forward.No 8. WHERE DID EVERYBODY GO?“Don’t Say Goodbye” | Abandoned | Isolation
Relationships: Harry Potter & Tony Stark, Harry Potter/Stephen Strange
Series: Whumptober 2020 [8]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1946422
Comments: 5
Kudos: 224
Collections: Whumptober 2020





	Where did you go?

_"I'm sorry, Holly… it's the only way."_

_"Don't- don't do that! Don't say goodbye to me, Stephen! Don't -!"_

Holly breathed in the dust of an alien planet, felt it scratch her lungs and clog her airway. She didn't bother to cough it free, not even when her head started to pound from how it affected her body. Holly didn't even bother moving. Hadn't for hours. Not since Stephen had turned to dust in her arms, not since the shock set in. 

Tony had eventually gotten up; he'd forced himself to move because Pepper was still alive even if he'd lost the kid. Though Nebula had definitely forced the issue. Tony had people back on earth, he had, because of that, a greater level of survival instinct… he was still connected to his soulmate. So he got up. He moved. 

She didn't. 

Perhaps Tony had realized what she had been to Stephen. He was smart enough to put two and two together; the hints had been there. Existed in how she'd frantically chased down the alien that stole Stephen, the way she reacted when they'd finally caught up and found Stephen being tortured. The way Holly had held him as before they made their plan to defeat the mad-titan. Tony had seen it all, the way she and Stephen fought in sync, and the way she reacted when he died-

The energetic warrior Holly had been vanished in a single snap. She'd withered up before Tony's eyes, and he'd realized the truth right then. 

_"Look into my eyes."_ Stephen had said it.

Code words between them, read my mind, let me show you-

_"We'll see each other again, Holly, I swear it."_

There was one path to victory, one path, and Stephen had shown her what it was and how to reach it. Because he wouldn't be there to ensure it- she'd been resolved- and the Stephen turned to dust and-

Bond shock was a hundred times worse than she'd ever imagined. 

Stephen had been apart of her life ever since an emergency trauma surgery years ago. Ever since a building collapsed on top of her, and she'd been whisked into the hospital. Ever since his skin's first contact on hers when he'd tried to calm her despite his terrible bedside manner. Stephen had been with her. His emotions always at the edge of her mind. And now Stephen as gone. He'd left her… she was alone-

"Drink." Tony pushed water to her lips, forced her to take in something. Holly obeyed blankly. Didn't register Tony except for his orders when he tried to get her into the shoddily repaired ship the guardians had arrived in.

Holly was blank-

Five years at least, she'd have to be like this for five years, and if she failed, if Tony failed then- this was the rest of her existence- Holly, she couldn't handle that. Stephen had such faith in her, had been convinced she'd managed, but he had no idea. He wouldn't have to experience bond-shock because he was dead. Dead and done, he'd abandoned her. Left her with this, left her with the fate of the world. 

How cruel.

"-bond shock-"

"-Just leave her-…-useless anyway." 

"Gandalf, come on, get up… -Holly-… -up."

She wasn't choking on dust anymore; she was on a space-ship. Her head was empty. She was alone even if Tony Stark was sleeping right beside her. 

Stephen was dead. 

"-running out of oxygen-"

"-I do not need such a thing-" 

"-Yeah, well I do!-"

Five years, she'd never make it…

"Holly focus on me." In front of her, Tony knelt, "you have magic, like Strange-" he coughed slightly, winced. Tony was too pale, his eyes were bloodshot- they were dying- starving- they'd be like Stephen- she'd be with Steph- "Holly, please, help us. Help me." 

Tony took her face on a firm grip, forced her to look into his eyes. "Please, Pepper is still alive. I can feel her here." He took Holly's hand and pressed it to his chest, "I don't want to lose her, I don't want her to suffer bond stock because of me… please. Tell me you can… do something." He was gasping because of how thin the air had become. 

"Don't bother, the witch is useless." 

"Nebula… we have no other option here. It's only her." He shook her slightly, "Holly. Please." 

Her eyes rolled toward Tony, Tony who'd save Stephen, who'd bring him back. Tony, who was begging for her to help, to do something, to pull herself from the depths of her soul where she'd hidden. Stephen… probably wanted her to try. He'd shown her that future for a reason. Had given her hope for a reason. 

Holly lifted her hand and mumbled a spell; near-instantly, oxygen-filled the space-ship. Breath was much easier in coming, it was an instant relief to Tony, but Holly didn't notice it. She still felt like she was suffocating.

"Thank you." 

Time passed, and Holly remained disconnected from it. 

"-Hols, we need water-…-one spell, come on girl, you've got this."

"-good, transfigure this. You can do it, Hols. The piece needs to look like this."

"-come on, Hols, stay with me, we're going home." A hand took hers, pulled her onward, and she allowed it. She allowed it because it was Tony.

"-not leaving her Pepper-…-saved my life-"

Five years. Holly was underwater for five years, and she felt like she was drowning every minute of it. Felt like it even as Tony pulled her through life with a fierce determination that surprised everyone else he came into contact with. He held onto Holly even with so many telling him to just let go. Pushed her even when it was clear she had no desire to continue. But Tony was firm, he knew she was waiting for something, and he'd keep her alive until she found it. 

"-Auntie Holly!"

"-you're magic makes absolutely no sense-…-no Pepper, I need to understand it!" 

"-would you like to help with dinner, Holly? Wong told me you're a rather excellent cook."

"-deer, deer, deer! Daddy, look!" 

Then, Steve Roger's knocked on his door, and he realized that she'd known all along. That one path to victory wasn't yet gone. 

"Time travel? Really?" Tony sighed as Holly's eyes came to life for the first time since Strange died. Seeing that he couldn't stop himself from heaving a sigh. "Dammit, fine, but we're changing now, not then. I'm not losing Morgan over this." 

And Holly smiled. 


End file.
